Shakespeare Falls: Twelfth Night
by Change Your Story
Summary: Lady Mabel hides herself as a boy named Leo and tries to woo a lady for the Duke she s serving. She s surprised to find the Lady fell for her instead! How will she untie this tangled knot? More importantly, how will she win the Duke she loves when he thinks she's a boy?
1. Lost

**Happy Valentine´s/Single Awareness Day!**

 **Okay, I´ve never actually seen the** **play in person due to where I live but I have the story nailed down.**

 **There WILL be changes, though. Also, I'm not looking for historical accuracy, so the speech is a little more modern**.

 **I thought it´d be ironic to have Mabel as Viola due to their different views on love. You´ll get it when you see who Orsino is. Trust me. TW, this is major AU=Alternate Universe, so don´t try with the show´s logic in here.**

 **I REALLY hope you like it and, if you don´t, tell me why.**

* * *

She heard the storm getting worst. The water, the strong wind and the darkness of the night messing with her eyes. She didn´t know a lot of things but she knew something: She had to find him and escape.

She heard the captain of the ship calling out to everybody, helping them get on the life boats. She smiled, what a nice man, she knew they were both safe when he was there. She ran to where he was and asked if he had seen him, the "No" he gave her was like a dagger in her.

The young woman desperately called out for her relative, had the strong breeze not been in her eyes, she would´ve cried. The captain told her to enter the life boat but she refused to leave until she knew where he was. He forced her to get to the boat, she didn´t have much of a choice in this situacion, it seemed.

With a loud _S_ _plash,_ the boat was in the water. She looked desperately to the water and called for her brother. No answer.

The sailors got out the oars and prepared to paddle, but they were not fast enough to dodge the wave coming toward them. The black wall crashed down on them, throwing the tiny boat into the ship, shattering it to pieces.

She felt herself drowning and closed her eyes. Normally, she was the greatest swimmer ever but this wasn´t a normal situation. It was dark, there was a terrible storm, she was wearing the most uncomfortable dress and the only thing she wanted was to see him again.

She felt a hand dragging her out and she opened her mouth to breathe. She felt the man taking her to a big piece of wood that would hopefully keep her afloat. She felt the man slipping away.

"No. NO. NO! NO! NO!"

Everything went black.

* * *

The morning after a tempest was always calm and tranquil, nothing like the previous night. That morning, a sea captain woke up next to the remains of his broken ship. A little chubby but very strong, he knew he was going to get out of it easily but... Where were the others? What about the sweet children he was suppoused to take to Paris? Was he the lone survivor?

No, he wasn´t. For, a few feet away, he saw a young lady; fainted against the cruel waters but still able to hold on to the piece of wood that got her safe to shore. He gasped and rushed to carry her to the beach, laying her head on a hard rock.

He pressed her belly until she started breathing again. Just then, the man´s shock washed out to recognize who it was.

"Lady Mabel!"

She coughed out water and slowly opened her eyes. "Captain Jesus?"

"Thank goodness you´re okay!"

"Goodness and YOU, Soos, thank you for saving me."

"I´d do anything for the Pines family and you know it."

They hugged but then Mabel remembered something. "Where´s my brother?"

The captain hung his head in shame and sadness. Mabel ignored it and started running around the beach shouting.

"ALEXANDER! ALEXANDER!"

The captain tried to approach her but he just couldn´t bring himself to. She cried and he cried too. Was her twin brother really lost in the storm? Had his smile been varied under the salt so it´ll only become a vague memory? She called again.

"ALEXANDER! AL...! _Dipper_ " The young lady kneeled down, face to the sand, letting her tears run freely. Her only childhood friend was gone and Hastings was left with no leader. Soos placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I´m very sorry but he would want you to be strong and go on."

She sniffed "I know." She looked at the beach once again. "Where are we?"

"Oregon. Duke Mermando´s territory."

"Oregon? That´s far away from Paris AND home. What are we gonna do now?"

"Well, first thing first, we got to get somewhere to sleep in."

"But we´ve lost it all." She sighed.

"Not EVERYTHING!" Soos gasped and pointed at something in the sea. Mabel ran towards it and discovered it was Alexander´s louggage. She opened the case to see, inside of it was her brother´s clothes and five pots of gold. She counted the money and figured it was a lot but not enough to travel back home. It was like a gift from Heaven. She looked at the sky and sniffed.

"Thank you, twin brother."

"Yeah, that´s really good luck." The captain smiled. "You know, I grew up in Oregon and I know this place like the palm of my hand." He explained, at the same time observing his own hand only to be surprised a mili-second later. "Whoa, that´s new."

Mabel chuckled. "So you know where the nearest city is?"

"Do I? The answer´s yes. Gravity Falls is the nearest city, litterally nothing from here."

"Then let´s go."

* * *

They soon found themselves staying at an inn called Mystery Shack. The owner, an old woman who called herself Sussan, was happy to welcome the both of them and offer them a meal. Deep down, Mabel wanted to cry and tell her whole story to the woman, that she was Lady Mabel; Duke Alexander´s sister and she was in desperate need of help; but she knew she couldn´t. That woman seemed nice but not trustworthy. Who knew? Maybe she´ll think Mabel was lying.

After all, even her servants and family told her from time to time that she was nothing like you would expect nobility to be like, so why would anyone believe her? She was all on her own with no solution... Except for Soos.

"So, what do you think we should do?" She asked her friend once Sussan was gone.

"I don´t know. I don´t have enough money for the both of us and we have to inform Hastings of our situacion some way."

"Maybe I can get a job or something. I don´t mind cooking or cleaning and sewing and knitting are already kind of my thing."

"That sounds like a good idea, meanwhile, I can go to Hastings and tell them. It will take a while, though."

Mabel nodded. "What do you know about Duke Mermando?"

He shrugged. "Not much. Last I heard, there was this rumor that she was after a late count´s daughter. Lady Pacific, I think. "

"I think you mean Pacifica."

"That. He doesn´t hire much women, tho."

"And what of the lady? You think _she´ll_ hire me?"

"Doubt it! She´s in mourning. She doesn´t want to see anyone."

She sighed. "Just my bad luck, I guess."

When they were finished with their meal, the two retired upstairs. The innkeeper had lent them some needle and thread to mend her dress. What she´d said to Soos was true, she was completely capable of sewing anything and yet her dress still looked awful even after working on it. She looked at herself on the mirror.

 _No one´s EVER going to hire me if I look like THIS._ She thought. _I_ _might as well be wearing my brother´s britches!_

Then an idea came to her. It was just like she always said, so crazy, it may just work. She rushed to Soos´ room and knocked the door so hard, it might as well had fallen down. He opened it to her quickly.

Captain!" she shouted from the doorway. "I just got the most brilliant plan!"

"Whoa, whoa, milady!" the minotaur said, putting his hands on the jumping girl's shoulders. "What's with all the excitement?"

"Shut the door," Mabel whispered.

He did so and they both sat down on the bed.

"Then listen carefully." She glanced around and gestured for them to come closer. "I will serve the Duke Mermando as a page."

"Um, page´s a job for males. No offense, milady."

"EXACTLY!" She got out her brother´s clothes and examined them. "Dipper and I were identical twins, weren´t we?"

"That´s perfect!"

"So you´ll help?"

"Of course! You´ll be the Duke´s page until I can get word to Hastings."

"You got it."

He ruffled her hair. "You´re an idea machine, Lady Mabel."

"Not Lady Mabel, captain" She smiled at the mirror. "Leo."


	2. And Found

**Chapter two! YAAY! Now, a lot of people may seem OOC here but I did this for the story.**

 **I´m gonna go back and forth with Mabel/Leo´s name and pronouns depending on the situacion, I hope you don´t mind.**

 **I also hope you like it but, if you don´t, tell me why.**

* * *

In the morning, Lord Mermando´s manor was always quiet, except for the throne room, where said noble spent his free-time composing songs with his guitar. Well, as much free-time as the ruler of such a small territory could have. It was mostly sad,sappy love ballads due to all the rejections he was getting for the lady, but they were all pleasant. A guard came in to interrupt his music.

"My lord," the guard spoke, "there is a Mister Jesus Ramírez here to see you, along with a young man somewhat around your age."

"Whatever they're selling, I'm not interested!" the duke bellowed. "Can't you see I'm busy?!"

"They said they wish to offer their services."

He considered this for a moment and then shrugged. "Let them in, I guess."

"Yes, my lord."

The guard came out and back in with the two men behind him. The both of them had simpathetic smiles on their faces but, while the older one looked average, the younger one seemed to have a joy, an energy and a spirit that called out to him.

Mabel gazed in wonder at the man on the throne. She knew what age he was, eighteen, like her and her late brother but she looked so much taller and stronger. While his hair was ruff and tangled, that only added to his charm and she knew she´d be able to fix it easily if she ever got the chance to. She then noticed the guitar beside him, which had his name carved and painted in a nice shade of green.

Mabel whispered to her male companion. "He plays guitar?"

"Yeah, he´s the best around." Soos responded in an equally low tone.

 _"That´s AWESOME."_

They waited for their chance to speak as Mermando seemed to be specially concentrated on her, wheter that was good, bad or weird they didn´t know.

"Well, you know who I am." He finally started speaking. "Mermando, duke of Oregon, whatever." He waved his hand casually. "The question is, who are _you?"_

Soos set down the chest and bowed humbly. "My lord, I am Jesus Ramírez, a sea captain. He is a young orphan who has served me well for many years, but I cannot pay him any longer. He seeks employment from you, my lord."

Mermando nodded. "And he is...?"

Mabel stepped forth and crossed her hands to curtsy. Soos coughed, pointing out his friend's mistake. With a blush, she quickly corrected her gesture into a bow.

"My name is Leo Star, my lord." She said, trying as hard to imitate her brother´s voice as she could. She proceeded to mentally kick herself. _Darn._ She thought. _That sounded MUCH better in my head last night. Guess I´ll have to live with this name now._ _I hope it´s not stupid enough that he finds me._

"You´re not from here, are you?" He asked. "No offence, but I kinda notice your accent."

Mabel was surprised hearing him say _"No offence."_ Everyone, even Dipper, pointed bad things out about her and hardly, if ever, apologized. The duke seemed like a nice guy already.

"None taken. I´m from Hastings, my lord."

He nodded. "You said you want to work for me, what can you do?"

"Well, my lord, I mainly wish to be a page but I also have a few sets of skills that could be of use to you. Wanna watch me immitate a squirrell´s mating call?" She took a deep breath but the duke stopped her, waving his hands a little.

"That will not be necessary. Just answer: Can you read and write?"

"Yes."

"Do you like music?"

Both Mabel and the captain were confused by the question but she answered anyways. "Yes."

"What kind?"

"All kinds! You might think I sound foolish saying this, my lodr, but songs are like hugs mouths give to ears." She squealed.

Mermando smiled. "It´s not foolish at all, actually, you seem to have your way with words."

"Yes, thank you."

Mermando´s smile widened. "Okay, you got the job."

"Really? Just like that?"

"Really, just like that." He got up from the throne and Mabel could see just how tall he really was. He gave a few gold coins to Soos. "Here´s for your pains. You may go now."

"Thanks, my lord." They both said at the same time. They hugged, Soos´d been almost like family to her and they were gonna miss each other bad.

"Good luck."

"You too."

The door closed and she could hear the duke´s voice behind her. "Toby!"

A middle-aged man with an ood excuse for a giant moustache came running. "Yes, your lordship?"

He pointed to Mabel. "Take my new page to the servant´s quarters and help him settle down."

"Uh, if it please your lordship," Mabel uttered. "I would like to sleep separately from the other servants."

Mermando raised an eyebrow. "What do you think this is? An inn?"

"Beg pardon, my lord. It doesn´t have to be anything fancy. Heck, it doesn´t even have to be a room. Just a place where I can be alone. Please, that´s all I´ll ever ask of you."

She so hoped she didn´t have to share a room with men, what if someone saw her undressing?

Mermando liked the way this boy spoke: so kindly, so honestly, yet courteously at the same time. His voice was a little high for a man's, but smooth and clear with a little pinch of determination. His visage was pleasant and youthful, his eyes stripped of falseness and filled with persistance. He was just the kind of guy he´d been looking for.

"Very well. There is an empty room with one bed in the servant's quarters. It's small, but it should be suitable enough."

"Thank you, my lord."

The disguised lady looked up in shock.

"Do not look so surprised," Mermando said with a laugh. "It's a small request which I am happy to fulfill. Toby, take him to this room." He turned back to Mabel "Once you are settled, come back here and we shall discuss your duties."

Mabel noticed the change in her new master´s voice. It was softer and kinder than a few minutes ago. The smile he gave her was warm and friendly, and she noticed he had a missing tooth in it, but, again, that only added to his charm. She found herself smiling back.

"Thank you, my lord."

Once Mabel was gone he returned to the guitar.


End file.
